Using Real-World and Standardized Spatial Imagery Tasks: Convergence, Imagery Realism, and Gender Differences.

Can realistic spatial scenarios be used to measure spatial mental imagery? Can people accurately evaluate their spatial imagery? Does gender moderate the relationship between performance on realistic spatial imagery tasks and ratings of imagery realism? Forty-two female and 31 male undergraduates first rated the realism of their images after reading spatial scenarios based on actual spatial tasks. In phase 2, they solved closely related spatial scenario problems, and then completed the VZ-2 Paper Folding test. Performance on realistic spatial scenarios predicted performance on the VZ-2. Men's evaluation of their spatial imagery realism predicted their actual spatial performance, but women's did not. More task experience was positively related to more realistic images and higher scores on the VZ-2. These results were generally consistent with those found with more artificial stimulus materials, but also demonstrated the importance of considering gender differences in spatial problem strategy and/or rating scale interpretation. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]